Magic Pearls
by Wyoming
Summary: [EC] Sequel to String of Pearls. Eric and Calleigh are at odds. Can the pearls Calleigh's grandmother gave her be a factor in deciding their fate?


Title: Magic Pearls

Author: Wyoming/CSICatts

Pairing: Eric/Calleigh

Warnings: none

Rating: K+

A/N: Sequel to "String Of Pearls"

Calleigh sighed as she looked at the old pictures of her and Eric. She knew that they'd rushed into a marriage, but she had known that Eric was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Now, they were separated. Calleigh lived in the house while Eric went back to his mother's house.

She closed the photo album and uncrossed her newly shaven legs. She checked herself over once more and walked out the door, on her way to her niece's wedding. Eric had been invited too, although she didn't expect him to go. They were now split up for good, and Calleigh didn't seem to want to do anything about it.

Of course she wanted to do something about it. She just felt like she couldn't. All the fights, the hurt, the tears, the pain; she hated it all. The only reason she didn't try to fix their issues was because she didn't think that he wanted to get back together. After two and a half years, their marriage was over.

She walked out to the car and started it up. Calleigh really didn't want to go to this wedding, since it was a reminder of how badly her marriage failed. Nonetheless, Calleigh drove off and didn't look back. She had to suck it up and go to this wedding.

One reason she was going was because she didn't want Eric to hold her back. Calleigh was still a social butterfly, and she wanted to stay that way. Also, a part of her hoped that he would be there. She hoped that he would show up with a rose in his hand and say "Calleigh I'm sorry, I was stupid, take me back," but she was almost positive that it was a long shot. She missed him. She woke up to an empty bed every morning. She had no one to nag her about the laundry not being done. She had no one to cook for. In simple terms, she was miserable. She'd talked to Marisol the other day, and she'd told her that they split up. Mari sympathized with her and told her it would be alright. Calleigh even let a few tears fall, which was rare for her unless she was crying them because she was happy.

A few hours later, the marriage was final, and Calleigh's niece was a married woman. She looked down at her own ring, which she hadn't taken off, at least not yet. She couldn't handle it. She loved Eric way too much to take the ring off without missing the feel of it, and it's meaning, on her finger.

After the wedding, the reception was taking place. Calleigh was seated at a small table with her dad and her brothers, who were all older. They'd protected her when she was little, and one of them was now the proud father of a beautiful bride. The dinner had been served and Calleigh found no sign of Eric. She couldn't say that she was surprised. Her marriage was over, she had to stop worrying about these things, but the irony of being at a wedding reception didn't ease the fact that her mind was on it constantly.

A sigh overtook Cal as the first dance was called. Anya danced with her new husband, and was no longer a Duquesne. As Calleigh thought about the name change, she thought about her name change as well. Calleigh was a Delko, but soon enough, she'd be back to Duquesne. Don't get her wrong, Delektorsky was just as hard to spell and say as Duquesne, but she'd liked the fact that she was a Delko. She'd dreamed of having kids. Not just one, she wanted three. Two boys and a girl, just like her family. She wanted the two boys first, and then the girl, so that the boys could protect the girls. She guessed none of that would happen now. She was going to be alone now.

She looked down and noticed what she was wearing. The same string of pearls she'd worn when she first found out that Eric loved her, the same pearls that brought her the luck of becoming his wife. She sighed and looked around once more. She secretly hoped that Eric would be hiding out in a corner, or maybe he'd even appear in the empty seat next to her that had been reserved for him, but as luck would have it, he was not there.

As she looked up, someone else she recognized was coming towards her. It was Marisol. Calleigh looked up questioningly and greeted her. Marisol handed her an envelope and a red rose, but wouldn't tell her who it was from. Calleigh already had an idea anyway. With that, Marisol smiled a bit and walked out, her mission completed. She left a bewildered Calleigh, who looked down at the pale yellow envelope in her hands.

There was a single card inside. It was nothing special, just a card with a picture of yellow tulips, her favorite. She opened it up and saw handwriting she recognized. It was Eric's.

_Calleigh,_

_I'm sorry we've been fighting lately. I thought maybe us splitting up was what you wanted, but I can't live without you. I still love you with all of my heart, and I don't want to see you upset. I heard that you even cried, and I know for a fact that Calleigh Duquesne-Delektorsky doesn't cry. I promise, I'll make it up to you. Go to the balcony outside._

_All my love,_

_Eric_

Calleigh turned around and looked out to the back where the balcony was. She quickly got up, the rose and card long forgotten. The fact that Eric could be out there waiting for her was making her heart race. She walked to the balcony and opened the door. Immediately, a few strands of hair blew free from her tightly secured bangs, and her curls flowed in the wind. She felt a bit of a chill, but she shook it off.

When she saw him, she became shy. She hadn't talked to him in over a week, and she was afraid she would say something stupid. He turned his head and saw her. To him, she looked perfect. There were a few strands of her hair blowing in the wind, which matched the pattern of her sleek red dress, which was also flowing as she came in contact with the wind.

Eric walked to her and saw that her eyes were cast to the floor. He sighed and looked down at her. "Calleigh.." he started lightly, but he wasn't sure how to finish. He could tell she was on the verge of tears, and it broke his heart.

"Calleigh, listen to me, we got in a fight over something stupid. We yelled, we screamed, and we split up, but I still love you more than anything in the world, and I don't want to lose you," he said lightly. She crossed her arms as she listened to him, not because she was angry, but because the wind was giving her goose bumps. Eric quickly took his jacket off and placed it on her shoulders so she would be warmer. "Sweetie, I'm sorry I yelled at you, and I mean it," said Eric as he reached his hand out and tilted her head up so that she was looking at him.

"When I proposed to you at your birthday party, it was sudden, but I knew you were the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I didn't think that. I love you Calleigh, and no matter what, I still want to spend the rest of my life with you," he told her.

Cal thought it was sweet, but she wasn't quite sure how to handle any of this. "Eric I-"

"Shh," Eric hummed as he leaned down and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I love you Calleigh," he whispered.

Cal licked her lips a little and looked up into his eyes. "I love you too Eric, no matter what," she responded. She was glad that he'd come here, and made things right. She just wished that she hadn't been so afraid to do it herself. It made her seem week, but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that Eric was there, and he loved her.

It turned out that Eric being there wasn't the surprise. He took out a long black velvet box and handed it to her. "Open it," he encouraged lightly. Calleigh did as she was told and opened up the box. Inside, there was a small pearl bracelet that matched her necklace. Cal smiled and looked up at him. He always knew exactly how to please her. She gave it to him, and held out her left wrist. He put it on her, and kissed her hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked as more music softly started to pour out of the speakers on the balcony. Calleigh smiled and nodded.

The magic of her pearls still existed, maybe not in her mind, but in her heart.


End file.
